1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to chair covers and, more particularly, to a chair cover with an attached child restraint belt. The cover is adapted to fit over a stackable chair and the restraint belt is adapted to secure a young child thereto.
2. Description of the Related Art
Stackable chairs are used in numerous settings including churches, schools, community centers, government offices and businesses. Typically, each of these chairs includes a cloth back, a cloth seat, two arms and four legs, with the seat and legs configured to rest on top of the seat and legs of another chair. Because these chairs can be stacked together on top of a small cart, they are easily transported and require minimal storage space.
Although widely used, stackable chairs have a well-known drawback. The chairs are not useful for young children, ages six months to three years old. While parents often must bring a young child to a place where stackable chairs are the only chairs available, these chairs are neither safe for young children nor resistant to staining associated with young children. The chairs do not include a means for securing a child in an upright position or a means for preventing a child from falling through the opening between the back and the seat or an opening in the arms, and the cloth coverings of the back and seat are susceptible to stains from spilled food and drink.
Thus, a need exists for a means of securing a child to a stackable chair and protecting the cloth back and seat of the chair from stains associated with a young child. Furthermore, a need exists for such a device having a structure that will also prevent a young child's toys or other items from falling off of a stackable chair in which the child is sitting.
U.S. Design Pat. No. 360,308, issued Jul. 18, 1995 to Smith et al., shows a child seat that attaches to the back of a chair. The device does not completely cover the top portion of the chair and does not include arm cover portions or a retaining panel. U.S. Pat. No. 4,759,588, issued Jul. 26, 1988 to M. J. Husnik, describes a child car seat that is adapted for attachment to a standard car seat and that includes a belt adapted to resemble a pair of “hugging” arms. The device is not adapted to cover a chair and does not include arm cover portions or a retaining panel.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,354,121, issued Oct. 11, 1994 to R. J. Allum, describes a restraint device for a small child that can be attached to a chair. The device is not adapted to cover a stackable chair and does not include arm cover portions or a retaining panel. U.S. Pat. No. 5,690,380, issued Nov. 25, 1997 to A. Waters, describes covers for folding and non-folding chairs. The covers do not include a child restraint belt or a retaining panel.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,988,744, issued Nov. 23, 1999 to L. Franchak, describes a child safety seat comprised of a single panel with a waist belt. The device is not adapted to cover a stackable chair and does not include arm cover portions or a retaining panel. U.S. Pat. No. 6,155,637, issued Dec. 5, 2000 to A. Waters, describes a cover for glider rockers and similar chairs. The cover does not include a child restraint belt or a retaining panel.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,237,998, issued May 29, 2001 to S. S. Aprile, describes a cover for the child seat of a shopping cart. The cover is not adapted to cover a chair. U.S. Pat. No. 6,438,098, issued Aug. 6, 2002 to F. B. Allbaugh, describes a liner for a high chair. The liner is not adapted to cover a chair and does not include a retaining panel.
None of the above inventions and patents, taken either singly or in combination, is seen to describe the instant invention as claimed. Thus, a chair cover with child restraint belt solving the aforementioned problems is desired.